When local music lovers are looking for a great live show, Diamondback Entertainment hits it out of the ballpark every time. Consider Shinerfest at the Mateel on Saturday night the All-Star Game. As well as a music lineup of Rehab, Moonshine Bandits, Potluck, Jackyl, Matt Borden and Aaron Dean, the night will also boast mechanical bull rides and tours of what Diamondback calls “Wild West Town.”

And, as if all those bells and whistles aren’t enough of a draw, the night will be hosted by Maria Kanellis, a former WWE diva, Playboy cover girl, “Celebrity Apprentice” contestant, actress and singer.

”I’ve been working with (Diamondback Entertainment owner) Ole (Persson) for a long time,” Kanellis said. “We did a CD/DVD compilation together — ‘The Purple Plague’ — which all came about through a friend of mine. At the end of the day, they knew I could do my own stunts, so we filmed it and now we have this great CD/DVD together.”

The movie features Kanellis as Lady Jane, a woman who’s landed on a planet filled with zombie-type creatures.

”They’re all trying to attack me, and I’m this kick-ass chick who beats the crap out of ’em,” she said.

Of course, the actress is no stranger to being in front of a camera. Kanellis actually made her first appearance on national TV on “Outback Jack,” a TBS show centered around 12 women who compete for the affection of an Australian underwear model — a show similar in format to “The Bachelor.” Kanellis caught the attention of scouts for the show after a bikini contest in Knoxville, Tenn. At the time, her brother was in the military and headed to Iraq, she was dealing with a break-up and her father had just gotten into a car accident — so things were pretty hectic when the opportunity presented itself.

”I had never been to Australia or overseas or anything like that — it was my first chance to do something like that, so I ran with it,” Kanellis said.

The opportunities just kept coming for the reality TV star. After her appearances on “Outback Jack,” she participated in a WWE (professional wrestling) Raw Diva Search. In a highly publicized and viewed search, Kanellis placed fifth out of 6,000 contestants from Los Angeles to New York.

”WWE didn’t realize how big it was gonna be,” Kanellis said. “We were one of the most highly viewed segments. At the start in Chicago I did some jumping jacks in heels and I think they liked that.”

Although she didn’t win, the contestant’s persistence to be a part of the pro-wrestling franchise paid off when she was offered a role as a WWE diva/interviewer — which eventually grew to a role as a wrestler in the ring.

”I couldn’t keep myself from the ring,” she said. “I thought: if I’m going to be around all these girls and guys in the ring…I’m a bit of a fighter myself. So I couldn’t resist. I got in the ring and was trained by some of the best.”

Thrilled to be a part of a world where stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Vince McMahon and others walk freely, the sometimes star-struck Illinois native was eventually crowned WWE’s Diva of the Year in 2009 by a popular fan vote.

”I was so honored by that whole situation,” she said.

But, shortly afterward, WWE released Kanellis, a move many felt was the result of the star’s pursuits in music, movies, other television appearances and more.

”They said it was probably best for me to go out there and see what I could see,” she said. “I was creatively just trying to do everything under the sun, so I’m glad it happened. There have been times where I’m very excited by the fact that I get to try other things — I think it was a great growing process for me these last few years.”

And she really has tried a lot — these last couple of years she’s tried her hand at everything from sword fighting to music and anything creative in between. Which includes her appearance alongside Sharon Osbourne, Cyndi Lauper, Bret Michaels and others in NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” with business magnate and toupee-sporter Donald Trump.

”That was a big learning experience,” Kanellis said. “All of the contestants had strong personalities but they were also extremely intelligent. When you’re working with personalities like that, you definitely have to pick up your game. I found out that a lot of times some of the smartest people you know are also the funniest. These people that have gone through these crazy experiences find a way to keep laughing and moving.”

Speaking of crazy experiences, when Kanellis was 19 she was offered an opportunity to pose for Playboy magazine but turned it down so as not to embarrass her younger sister. But at age 25 in 2008, after garnering fame in other walks of life, she was asked again — this time they offered the cover.

”I asked my sister how she felt about it, who was still in high school, and she was like: ‘Go for it!’” Kanellis said. “I felt like, as a woman, I was ready to be completely naked in a magazine, to be like: here you go, everybody! I was comfortable. And the truth of the matter is that I feel more naked going into some of the auditions than I did in Playboy.”

The model also mentioned she probably would have declined had she not been able to independently choose several elements about the shoot, including lighting, wardrobe and style.

Another cool thing about being on the cover of Playboy: the frequent invitations to parties at the Playboy Mansion.

”I’ve been there several times — I’ve been there for a Halloween party and I’ve done a charity event there before,” Kanellis said.

Kanellis has raised money for organizations like Generation Rescue, Paws For Style, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and more along the way on her celebrity path.

”(Being a philanthropist) just makes you feel good,” she said. “I’ve always said that doing things for charity is selfish in a way, because it makes you feel so good. But, at the same time, I’m happy to be able to change the lives of children — especially with the Make a Wish Foundation.”

Kanellis will, without a doubt, change the lives of those attending Shinerfest as she’s hosting on Saturday night and is definitely looking forward to meeting the musicians.

”I just love meeting creative people,” she said.

At the show on Saturday the audience will find out more about Kanellis, like how she’s liking her new gigs managing Ring of Honor (ROH) pro wrestler Mike Bennet, being a ROH Diva, acting as ROH’s “First Lady” and hosting a show every Monday on afterbuzztv.com.

”I’ve never been to Humboldt,” she said. “When I filmed with Ole it was all in LA where we were filming. So this will be my first time and I’ve heard so much about it — I cannot wait to see it!”